---
title: "QSR: CKE Restaurants names new CEO after Andy Puzder steps down"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/7ce045d4-7743-4034-94f9-b0d343d259b5
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/qsr-cke-restaurants-names-new-ceo-after-andy-puzder-steps-down-11275
category: "QSR"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "QSR"
topics: ["Finance & M&A","People"]
published: 2017-03-22T16:11:26.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T02:32:23.354Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/a395e32c80ebf4d35ca1178e41a2c7071145.jpg
---

# QSR: CKE Restaurants names new CEO after Andy Puzder steps down

**TL;DR:** CKE Restaurants names Jason Marker as new CEO, replacing Andy Puzder, who steps down in April after 16 years with the company. Marker will take over as CEO of the parent company of Carl's Jr. and Hardee's.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2017-03-22. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/qsr-cke-restaurants-names-new-ceo-after-andy-puzder-steps-down-11275).*

## Story

CKE Restaurants, the parent company of Carl’s Jr., and Hardee’s, announced that Marker will take over as CEO when current CEO Andy Puzder steps down in April.

Marker said in a statement, “I am honored to have been selected as CKE’s next CEO. It is a privilege to lead an organization that has pioneered the quick service restaurant space for more than 75 years. I would like to thank Andy and his team for the amazing progress they’ve made with Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s over the past 16 years.”

Puzder’s retirement comes about two months after he dropped out of the running as President Donald Trump’s labor secretary. Puzder withdrew before the confirmation hearing amid doubts that he didn’t have enough support.

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- Restaurants (sector)
- qsr industry (topic)
- Carl's Jr. (company)
- Donald Trump (person)
- Hardee's (company)
- CKE Restaurants (company)
- ceo change (topic)
- company leadership (topic)

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Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/qsr-cke-restaurants-names-new-ceo-after-andy-puzder-steps-down-11275). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/7ce045d4-7743-4034-94f9-b0d343d259b5).